NEWTON — Residents who ventured out in the height of Hurricane Sandy on Monday gathered last-minute supplies, but found most stores and gas stations already closed.

Store aisles and streets were mostly empty on Monday afternoon as the skies darkened with winds and rain becoming more forceful. Bill Errico, of Dingmans Ferry, was one who did brave the increasingly severe conditions to stop at Weis Market in Newton on his way home from work in Hackettstown around 3 p.m.

He came in search of snacks for his children, who were off from school, and batteries for flashlights in case the power goes out.

He said that many people were buying peanut butter, packaged snacks and other nonperishable food items in anticipation of the power going out. He said that the D and C batteries that Errico was looking for were impossible to get on Monday, but he assured that a shipment of batteries was due to come that night.

Weis plans to stay open all normal hours during and after the storm, he said.

However, other businesses in Newton did not tempt Hurricane Sandy by remaining open. As of about 3 p.m., the WalMart in Newton was closed and forklifts filled with cardboard blocked all doors and windows in anticipation of the storm's worst winds.

The Sears in Newton also had its doors locked Monday afternoon. A sign on the door told customers that the store was out of generators, generator plugs, gas cans, batteries, lamp oil and lamp wicks.

Some gas stations also had to turn customers away, but still remained open, if possible. The Exxon in Augusta remained open with the convenience store on Monday, but store worker Kevin Taptik said that there was no gas available. He said that trucks are unable to deliver the gas until probably Wednesday.

"A lot of people were here yesterday for gas," Taptik said, but today he said was a lot quieter on the streets.

At the Quick Check gas station in Newton, an assistant manager who did not wish to be named said that they have all types of gas, since some gas stations now have only plus or super.

"We are still open around the clock," he said.

He said that today was actually a little busy in the morning with last-minute people looking to fill up on gas.

"It is busier than I expected," he said on Monday.

Back in the open Weis, other shoppers were not afraid of Hurricane Sandy's path into New Jersey. Amy Walther, of Newton, said that she was using her day off from work to get some grocery shopping done at Weis and other stores.

"I don't panic," she said. "How long could we possibly be without power?"

While this question remained unanswered as the storm progressed, she said that she came to Weis to pick up canned beef raviolis for her children, although this was not because of the storm but instead just her usual shopping. She said though that finding the right type was difficult since much of that section of canned goods was picked over.

"I'm not scared," she said again, adding that if the power goes out she would plan to relocate to the restaurant where she works.

On the other hand, Errico knew first-hand that power outages can be severe. He lost power for about a week during Hurricane Irene, and plugged into a neighbor's generator only for short periods of time.

In anticipation of this storm, he filled up buckets of water so that his family, as well as his dogs and chickens would have water throughout the storm.